Appliance for displaying colors



UTHTISHmiE.

June 26, 1923.

M. M. MILES APPLIANCE FOR DISPLAYING COLORS Filed June 27, 1919 if??? wENTOR miw i Patented June 26, 192 3.

UNITED STATES era: Lemar;

PATENT OFFICE.

MAUD MAPLE MILES, OF LOMBARD, ILLINOIS.

APPLIANCE FOR DISPLAYING COLORS.

Application filed June 27, 1919. Serial No. 307,177.

in V This invention relates to color display appliances and my object isto produce an ap pliance capable of embodiment in different forms, bywhich colors may be displayed in related hues which are believed tosuggest to the spectator related tone values, for the purpose ofvisualizing and aiding in the memorizing of the notes in music and alsofor enabling artists, modistes, milliners, interior decorators, etc., toquickly and effectively display such a large number of combinations intwo or more harmonizing col ors that the esthetic taste of the mostcritical customers may be satisfied.

In the above connection it is pointed out that it is also a distinctivefeature of the invention to provide a carrier for the colors which maybe in the form of a ribbon or tape, the said colors being arranged onthe ribbon in the form of a color scale wherein the colors are relatedto each other in the same manner as the notes or harmonies of a musicalscale are related.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and useful featuresof construction and combinations of arts as hereinafter described andclaime and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to behad to the accompanying drawing, in which: I

Figure 1, is a front View of a combination color display applianceequipped with a device for masking all the colors except a particularcombination of them; the mask being shown broken away.

Figure 2, is a central vertical section of the appliance.

Figure 3, is a perspective view of a different form of the appliance.

Figure 4, is a diagrammatic plan of the appliance shown in Figure 3. t

Figure 5, is a fragmentary perspective view of a third t pe of theappliance.

Referring to t e appliance illustrated by Figures 1 and 2, A indicates aframe wherein are journaled winding drums B connected by a ribbon C,which may be of either opaque or transparent material, and preferably ofsufficient length to contain seven and one-third octaves of colorflelyfLmitones to the octaveeach of suc twelve semiones being numberedconsecutivelyv from 1 to 12 inclusive, with the maximum wave length ofeach color in certain ratio to the preceding color.

The colors or shades of color of each of the different octaves will eachcontain twelve half tones of color. The lightest octave shows a pureyellow and eleven tints of other colors, all twelve high light in value(high light being a tint slightly distinguishable from white) butpreferably growing slightly lighter in value as they progress toward theupper end of the octave. The next octave below will contain as itspurest colors, a pure yellow green and a ure orange yellow, alsothefirst shade of ye low being darker than high light value) butpreferably growing somewhat lighter as they progress toward the top ofthe octave. The same sequence of color effect is carried out in thesucceeding octaves and in the partial octave mentioned.

The ribbon for practically the full distance between the drums or reelsruns over the guide rolls D in order that the part of the ribbon betweenthe guide rolls, which part is preferably of sufficient length todisplay an octave of twelve colors, shall be substantially parallel withthe face of the frame A. The ribbon may be wound from one drum to theother by means of handles E which may be detachable or not as desired,and there will preferably be sufficient friction to hold the ribbonstretched fairly taut and to guard against accidental turning of eitherof the drums. For convenience in displaying the device to a class or toa customer, it will be found convenient to make it in the form of aneasel, that is with a hinged back F which when opened will brace theframe in an inclined position without other support.

For use in conjunction with the construction thus far described, therewill be a large number of masks, each of which will have a plurality ofdisplay openings relatively arranged to show only colors which willharmonize.

The masks G are in the form of removable covers which can be easily andquickly fitted over the face of the frame A, and, as above stated, eachmask will be provided at predetermined points with two or more openings.For two color combinations there will be several masks each containingopen ings for exposing two colors at a time, which will harmonizebecause of the measured interval between the rate of their majorvibrations. One of these masks will show two colors which are a majorthird of an octave apart. The other two-color masks will show theopenings at prescribed distances apart so that two colors of the ribbonsimultaneously appearing through said openings will always harmonize. Tochange the combinations, the ribbon, of course, will be moved by turningone of the drums or reels, the other turning under the pull of theribbon. It will be seen that six masks of the two-opening type may beutilized to show six times twelve times seven and one-third schemes ofcolor in pairs which can be depended upon to harmonize.

There will be a set of masks containing groups of three openings indifferent positions, a set containing four openings, and other setscontaining different numbers of openings, the distance between theopenings in the different masks being determined by the harmonicrelation in music between notes spaced to correspond with the saidopenings.

WVith a device of this character a salesman entirely ignorant of eithermusic or color can display two-color combinations, threecolorcombinations, four-color combinations, etc., and know that these colorsharmonize.

In Figure 3, the appliance is in the form of a box I, open at the backand having a front composed of colored glass, non-inflammable film orother transparent material, arranged in series of twelve differentcolors as described with respect to the said ribbon, the box beingdivided by partitions J nto compartments K, each containing anincandescent lamp L. The lamps will contain contacts M and beindependent of each other. In place of masks there will be 'a series ofcontact combs N. The three-color combination combs for example, willhave their teeth 0 spaced in relation to the colored face plates offrame I, and said threecontact comb will be wired in multiple and beadapted for connection by a cord to a wall socket or the like, notshown. so that when the switch is operated and the comb is slipped withits teeth between the contacts M of the correspondingly located lampssuch lamps will be lighted and thus illuminate and display theirrespective color plates. It will thus be seen that by simply slippingthese comb contacts in position, a very large number of combinations ofcolor may be dis laved.

11 Figure 5. a box is shown having a display opening P through whichrays of light may pass from a lamp Q through a transparent ribbon Rcomposed of colors like ribbon C, and adapted to be moved by hand orotherwise, for the purpose of displaying different colors in melodicrelation. To avoid danger of fire, with this closed box type, andespecially if the ribbon should be in the form of an inflammable film,it is desired to provide the box with openings S through which the airmay circulate. If it is desired to throw the colors upon a screen orotherwise display them in succession, singly or in groups, usually butone light need be turned on, the succession of colors being produced bythe movement of the ribbon or film. If it is desired only to showcertain colors and to omit others, by this system of moving the ribbonor film, special ribbons or film may be used in which the colors notwanted may be omitted, only those desired to be shown being on theribbon or film. By this plan colors may be shown in melodic arrangementas well as harmonic, similar in their color relationship to each otheras is the sound relationship of musical notes that are shown in melodicor harmonic relationship. In both cases it is because of their relativevibration as will hereinafter more fully appear. Colors arranged in'melodicform may be employed in arranging borders or putting colors inlong narrow rows as on counters or shelves. That is to say, the presentinvention resides particularly in the formation of a color scale whichbears a numerical relation of colors similar to the musical scale whichenables the operator to obtain color harmonies which are related as arethe harmonies of a musical scale. s

As certain colors are believed to bear a fixed relationship to certaintones, I contemplate the use of ribbons or films for showing directly orprojecting on a screen, colors in such relationship and of such relativelengthtempo-that the travel of the ribbon or film past the opening shallrecord on the mind of the observer capable of distinguishing betweenharmony and discord in music, the melody represented by such arrangementof colors, so that the deaf may enjoy music as well as those whosehearing is unimpaired.

In the above connection it is pointed out that it is pro-posed to relatecolor to color in exactly the same manner that scientific musiciansrelate tone to tone.

That is to say, beginning on any color designated by the vibration ofits dominant wave length I build both the diatonic scale, the untemperedchromatic scale and the tempered chromatic scale in exactly the samemanner that musicians build these scales of sound. On this basis a scaleof musically related hues would be produced, except for the physicaldifference in the sense U1 outuiuom It is well known that themathematical science of music is based on the laws of physics, but thatthe sense perception of music is psychologically different. However, thesense perception and mathematical science of music are in accord becausethe ear measures music with the same result that the scientist obtainswhen he measures the rates of vibration of the musical tones.

But, the eye does not measure color with the same result that thescientist obtains when he measures the vibration of light. Hence, thescales built in the purely physical way as mentioned above needs furthermodification, based upon the retinal sensibility of the eye.

Therefore, it will be seen that the color scales formed according to thepresent invention are made by utilizing the dominant wave length of thecolors as far as such colors are found in the spectrum and assemblingthem in the scale in the same way that the musical scales are made, butmodifying the tempered or untempered chromatic scale of color built onthe purely musical laws by a suitable table of retinal sensibility ofthe eye thereby giving a color scale that will produce results similarto the results obtained in the use of the musical scale.

By way of example red may be assumed to be middle C, because somehypothesis must be made, and there are, so far, more reasons for thisassumption than any other.

For purposes of the present illustration the wave length of red may beassumed tobe 760 millicro-ns because on this basis the colors derived bythe musical system are of the hues commonly accepted under the namesused. Thus, a scale built under the present system with red at 760 wouldwork out as follows:

Dz'atom'c scale (purely physical).

Red=760 millicrons in wave lengths.

Orange=8/9 of red or 675.

Yellow-:4/5 of red or 608.

Yellow-Green (half step)=3/4 of red or 570 millicrons, etc.

To get the (purely physical) untempered chromatic scale use the figuresof the physical diatonic scale and find the half steps by finding 24/25of preceding color.

For instance:

W'ave lengths of red-orange=24/25 of 760 or 729.

Wave lengths of orange-yellowz24/25 of 675 or 648.

To get the purely physical tempered chromatic scale divide the wavelengths of any color by 1.05646 to get the following halfstep in colorfor instance:

760:red.

7 60+1.05646=7 18 or red-orange.

718+LO5646=678 or orange, etc.

But the scales thus derived serve only as a basis for the derivation ofcolor scales for the eye does not measure color with the same resultsthat science obtains when it measures the wave lengths; while the eardoes measure sound with the same results that science obtains inmeasuring musical notes. For this reason these purely physical scalesmust be modified by a table of the retinal sensibility of the eye.

The unit of measurement of the retinal sensibility of the eye is usuallycalled a steplimen. y using one table of retinal sensibility andassuming the lacking numerals in some instances, the given tempered anduntempered limen-scales of color are obtained based on the purelyphysical scales below using their relative intervals in ratio to theaccepted step-limen.

Untempered Tempered chromatic Interval scale of Interval scale of color,in wave color, purely in wave purely physlcal. length. physical. length.760 760 In both the tempered and untempered scale the second color isassumed to be true for the first step-limen in the scale as it is abarely perceptible step. If any difference between these figures were tobe made it would preferably consist in increasing the interval by movingthe first figure from 760 toward a possible 780.

The resultant chromatic scales, limen (bothtempered and untempered)follow:

Tempered limen scale Untempered limen scale of color (chromatic). ofcolor (chromatic).

v The diatonic limen scale may be derived from the untempered scale bybeginning on the first (7 60) color selecting the colors according tothe wish to derive a major or a minor scale. The steps in any chromaticscale are termed l/2 steps or l/2 tones. The

scale of C (red) major would be as follows: 760608579.1533.2-489.41452.1405.8-380. (Vere the last two colors found in'the spectrum this would bea scientific scale but not the best adapted to achange of key. In thetempered scale begin on any color and build the chromatic scaleaccording to the intervals of the desired scalefor instance use 62'Oasthe first color for a major scale: 620-573.? 508.492.6-l5 l.5t-(l05.8not found in any spectrum as a psychologically true hue) 718-620.These figures refer only to the hue. 9

In this connection, it should be borne in mind that the term hue refersto that extremely narrow portion of the spectrum which corresponds to adefinite wave length, tint is a hue diluted with white, while shade isthe hue altered by the addition of black. A hue is always specified bythe wave length of the monochromatic light used (wave length of thedominant hue). It has been demonstrated experimentally that any colorcan be made by the mixture in proper proportions of white light withmonochromatic spectral light of the proper wave length. The amount ofsaturation of a color determines its proximity to monochromatism. Inbuilding up any color scale, therefore, the saturation of the colorsmust be taken into consideration, that is, their tone-value.

Thus, by recapitulation, the following color scales are obtained whichare not absolute perhaps but which are sufficiently accurlate to provethe psychologically derived sca es.

The scales.

if 3g? Color (wave length).

Note.

Int r Scien- C010 Tem' Pg: Tem Unt m. L per. L.s L.S

per.

Pitch Pitch. 1.0 253.6 256 i. Red. 760 760 760 760 2. c3 274 271 213.0.713 720 713 729 3.D 290.3 237.3 3. Orange. 673 675 620 603 4. D5 307.5304.4 4. 0. Y. 640 643 591.3 595 325.3 322.5 5. Yellow. 604 608 573.7570.1 6.F 345.2 341.7 6. Y. G. 570 570 543 533.2 7.12; 365.3 362 7.Green. 533 547 503 510.6 3.4} 337.5 333.6 3. G. B. 503 507 492.6 439.49. or. 410.6 406.4 9. Blue. 479 434 473.2 476.5 10.14 435 430.4 10. B.v. 452 456 454.4 452.1 11.113 460.9 456.1 11. Vio. 426 436 433.3 437.212.13 433.3 433.2 12. R. V. 402 405 405.3 405.3 OctaveC 517.3 512 1.Red. 330 330 330 330 From the foregoing it will be apparent that theribbon C is provided with a color scale in which the colors aredefinitely related in psychologically the same manner as the notes of amusical scale, and the forms of apparatus described herein may be usedto display the colors in the various ways suggested. As a matter of factother forms of apparatus may be used and the forms shown herein aresimply illustrative of different types that may be employed toadvantage.

I claim:

1. A ribbon having a color scale thereon, comprising a series of huesthe wave lengths of which bear substantially the same relation to eachother as the wave lengths of a series of notes which comprise a musicalscale.

2. A ribbon having a color scale thereon, comprising a plurality ofseries of colors, each series consisting of a sequence of colors, thewave lengths of Which bear substantially the same relation to each otheras the notes in a sequence which comprise a musical octave.

3. A ribbon having a color scale thereon, comprising a plurality ofseries of colors, each series consisting of a sequence of colors, thewave lengths of which bear substantially the same relation to each otheras the notes in a sequence which comprise a musical octave, and meansfor displaying certain of the colors in musically harmonious relations.

4. A ribbon having a color scale thereon, comprising a plurality ofseries of colors, one of the series consisting of a sequence of hues,the other series consisting of sequences of tints and shades of thesehues, each member of a sequence being related to the other members inthe same manner that the members of a musical scale are related to eachother.

5. A ribbon having a color scale thereon, comprising a plurality ofseries of colors, one of the series consisting of a sequence of hues,the wave lengths of which are related to each other in substantially thesame manner as the sequence of notes which comprise a musical octave,the corresponding colors in another sequence being of a different degreeof saturation, all of the colors in one sequence being of substantiallythe same degree of saturation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MAUD MAPLE MILES.

